capeandcowl | [video]

Entry tags:

valeria richards | n/a

[video]

[There is a blue-eyed child looking at you. She can't be more than three. She is, however, wearing a very grown-up expression of dissatisfaction. And some kind of superhero outfit with a big "6" on the chest.

Ordinarily, Val would be cagier about immediately going public in a strange place, but, well, she has A Problem. When she speaks, it's with fully adult syntax and no hint of a lisp or any other childish speech impediment.]

Hi. I'm Valeria Richards. Assuming no alternate timeline stuff--not a safe assumption, I know, but sometimes you gotta live dangerously--it looks like there are a few people out there who're friends of my parents. You've got a couple of hours to come get me before they [she turns the phone to show a pair of what are presumably social workers, looking simultaneously put-upon and patient] try to stick me in foster care and things get sketchy.

[Anyone who knows Val will know that's more for the prospective foster parents' protection than hers. No one wants her turning some unfortunate family's appliances into her robot escape army.]

...'Bye.

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[ Aaaand he doesn't connect Susan Richards to Sue Storm. Good job, Gil. ]

I'm sorry, I can't say the names are familiar. [ Well, Reed somehow sounds like it but he's not 100% sure. ] I haven't seen names like that on the Network either.

Are you alright? Do you need someone to assist you to the MAC?

I need someone who's willing to accept custody because they apparently think I'm going to wander off into traffic if left to my own devices despite the fact I can properly use phrases like "my own devices." [She. Hates. This.]

[Val brushes some of her hair back behind an ear.] And, no offense, Mister, you're just some random guy on the internet, so I don't think I'm leaving with you.

[ He cannot believe she really talks like that. MAYBE SHE JUST LOOKS YOUNGER THAN SHE IS...

Or she's a demon child. ]

Perhaps there's someone from your wo--

[ DFGHJK. ]

It's not like that at all!!

Yeah? How do I know you're not a supervillain?

[Why, what did you think she was suspicious of?]

A super... villain.

[ Of all things. ]

I'm nothing of the sort.

And a lot of supervillains would say exactly that. I could administer a quick and dirty version of the MMPI, but that would hardly be dispositive.

I'm not a supervillain! What a ridiculous title. Nor am I a -- one of those "superheroes" either.

MMPI...?

[Claims to be a regular dude are noted with skepticism.]

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. It tests for personality structure and psychopathology.

Psycho... what? [ He shakes his head. ] A-Anyway, I'm not a criminal. My name is Gilbert.

[Sigh.] Still, you realize I've only got your word on that?

[Though he's reacting authentically enough to either be telling the truth or be an amazing actor.]

[ After a moment's hesitation, he sighs. ]

... I'm not going to harm you. It's understandable you're wary...

I know a few women who could probably help you get to the MAC.

Edited 2013-04-30 04:04 (UTC)

What does being a woman have to do with anything? [Gil you are weird.]

If... that makes you more comfortable...

Ha. Mom, me, and one of the fish kids have the only sets of matching sex chromosomes in my Dad's whole organization. Guys don't bother me.

Fish kids and chro--? Wait -- never mind. [ She's really confusing him with a lot of these scientific terms he's never heard before. ] You shouldn't be by yourself...

Where are you? [ And he wonders about her costume even more now. It looks too sleek to be something for Halloween. ]

[Gosh, what do they teach in England?]

I'm at the DOI. They were saying something about jaguars in the streets and I don't think they meant it metaphorically.

[It's her school uniform!]

[ In alternate universes inspired by the Victorian era and the crazy that is Alice in Wonderland: not sciences. ]

Still?! That should be done with! [ He is never playing board games again. ]

Ah... [ He doesn't want to scare a kid because he thinks she can be scared. Hahaha... ] The DOI you said? That's good. They're able to sort papers for you in this world.

Is someone coming for you?

[Well, she's certainly not going to be scared of jaguars who haven't got frikkin' laser beams on their heads.]

So definitely non-metaphorical jaguars, then? I assume they were just being cautious. You don't drop right from Jaguarcon 1 back down to 5. [That's a reference he has absolutely no chance of getting.]

Mr. Stark's coming. [Sue would kill him for leaving Val unsupervised.]

[ Nah, that's just those amateur vigilantes who currently have lasers. Welcome to the City, Val.

AND NOPE HE DOESN'T GET IT AT ALL. ]

Oh... that's good. Stay there. Will you be alright, though?

I'm fine.

[Another universe? Must be Tuesday. This guy is really nervous.]

Is this Mr. Stark someone you know?

He's a friend of my Dad's. [Plus there's that secret conspiracy they're in together.]

That's good.

I understand this can be a lot to take in at once.

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